


Creatures of the Horde

by LegacyWorks



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Bullying, Catra's background, Child Soldiers, Diary/Journal, Gen, Imaginary Friends, Kidnapping, Life in the Horde (She-Ra), Scorpia being her adorable self, Scorpia's background, Scorpia's moms are the best, adorable catra moments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:02:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29984655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LegacyWorks/pseuds/LegacyWorks
Summary: Life in the Fright Zone is... well. Depends who you are. A Princess and newly promoted Force Captain? Pretty good. A Street cat wandering to find a home? Maybe less so.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Scorpia & her moms, The Fright Zone & other Kingdoms
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	1. Scorpia

_Year 2988_

Hi!

I’m heading to the Princess Prom later today, which kind of sucks but it’ll be fine. Probably. Mom and Mama are gonna go on a date and do gross married stuff, so they’re wanting me out of the house and watched by quote on quote capable adults. Which is weird, since the host this year is Mentalia’s the same age as me? But oh well. 

I’m not really looking forward to it. Don’t get me wrong, the Princesses are great! Real friendly and everything! Just not always with me… but that’s okay! I’m sure someone’ll be all by their lonesome and wanna chat.

Mama picked out my dress since I couldn’t decide. It’s pretty cute, pink and black and spikes around the belt, just like my shoulder exoskeleton! But these spikes are pink instead of red. Mama thought it looked cuter. Mom painted the scorpions on the sleeves and skirts with a shiny black she normally saves for her favorite dresses.

I even buffed my claws, tail and shoulders today! They’re extra-shiny in the orange-red light. The Fright Zone might not look pretty, but you can’t deny the ambence. Ambeince? Absinence. Ugh, you know what I’m talking about. The thingy with the feelings and the right vibe. Besides, the broken shells look nice if you ignore the people sitting in front of them. Which you shouldn’t do since that’s rude and Mom taught me not to be rude.

Oh, Mom’s calling. I guess I’m late! I’ll let you know how it goes.

Love you the mostest,

Scorpia

_Year 2988_

Heyo,

So it went about as expected? Other than nearly stabbing a person with my telson, and Princess Mentalia not wanting to take my gift when I offered it, or that other girl that wouldn't get close. Or the girl with the flaming hair.

But yeah. Other than that.

Oh, and the food was really hard to pick up. They didn’t make things that work with claws, which is kind of rude since people with hooves or paws had trouble picking the foods up too. They’re just too delicate to grab.

Okay, honestly? It was the worst. I was, like, at the buffet  trying to grab, because the things just kept falling apart  grabbing these adorable  and impossible to pick up mini-cupcakes when one of the princesses bumped into me, and I got food on my dress, and then she was upset and mean about my tail and I tried to make it take up less space but it started to hurt so I stretched it back out but then everyone tried to move away from me, which is weird because who straightens their tail when they’re gonna attack? so that just didn’t make any sense. So I tried to keep my head down and my tail close like Mama told me and I thought it worked since a small princess (she was  _ so small _ and  _ cute _ oh my gosh, and there were flowers in her hair!) come up near me, except she wasn’t trying to talk to me or anything. She just wanted a mini-pie.

And I think that was the best part. Her, not the her avoiding me thing. She even had freckles!

The worst part though? When I first got there people just kept looking at me. Which I mean, sure, I might have missed the last couple of Princess gatherings - Mom thought it was a bad idea to go to Princess Mermista’s castle, and Mama’s always weary of the people across the Whispering Woods. Turns out they don’t like the Fright Zone. Most places aren’t made up of overgrown exoskeletons and metal pipes. Who knew? Not me!

Anywho, I wasn’t allowed to go to either of them but missing the Princess Prom would put us in bad standing, so I had to and it sucks and I’m so glad Mom and Mama didn’t let me go to the other princess things. 

Oh, they’re home! I’ll write more later.

Love ya,

Scorpia

_Year 2998_

I’m so  _ tired _ .

I know that training’s supposed to be hard and all, but really. I mean, I get that we have to be strong enough to take over and defend ourselves and bla bla bla, but it’s exhausting. On the other hand, Paisley got recruited! It’s gonna be great for her, but it kinda sucks we won’t be able to chat as much anymore. Normally she’s just outside the grocery store, the one that sells basically everything? Right, I haven’t told you about that one. Its window broke a couple weeks ago, so everything inside’s already been taken, but it had some nice stuff before. Like fake flowers! They were carved out of exoskeleton, but it was still pretty. 

I don’t actually know where the owner went…

Oh well. They probably just joined the Horde. The streets have been getting emptier as the castle fills up. Mom says change is finally coming and she doesn't have to worry as much about crop reports and community incomes and other things she used to complain about all the time. She still enjoys the politics of it all. Turns out working with Hordak is fun when he’s not in a broody mood. 

Ugh, my muscles hurt. Oh, right! I’ve been promoted to Force Captain! Which means extra training and I have to learn strategies and everything, but that means I did good on my missions! I won’t be on the front lines anymore, which sucks because fighting is so much more fun than planning.

Mom thinks it’s better since it’s safer. Something about having to keep the Princess line alive?

Well, I need to go to Force Captain classes, so I’ll tell you more later!

Your newly promoted Force Captain,

Scorpia

_Year 2999_

Hey you :D

I know you can’t breathe, cause you’re a book and all, but I envy you. The smoke is really bad today. I think there’s experiments going on? I dunno, there was a ton of broken bots filling the halls and the pipes were pushing out a ton of heavy smoke. But at least everyone was able to be inside! Man, I miss Paisley. 

Hordak’s engineers have been sending out little cleaning bots. Sometimes they try and bite me, but outside looks a lot better now. No more glass or pipes dangling around. There aren’t even broken ones to climb onto, so the kiddies haven’t been falling or getting hurt! It’s honestly weird, that was my favorite game growing up! Mom thinks it’s better like this, but Mama was always the more spirited one, so she gets what I’m saying. 

I’m meeting so many new people! The Horde has tons of species from around the world and other planets, and no one thinks I look weird! When I was just training with my unit it was only other people native to the Fright Zone. Now there’s a purple scaly person on my team, someone with twelve eyes that are all different colors - which is just  _ so cool _ \- and a person with funny ears! I don’t know if that’s, like, a species thing or just a them thing…

I think they get annoyed with me sometimes. They probably do - I think I talk a lot? Which is fine, y’know, since my parents don’t talk enough and someone had to fill the silence. But I talk to my team a lot a lot. Like, sometimes they just leave halfway through? I’m sure it’s fine, right? They just are busy, something like that. 

Anyway, I’ll keep you updated with all that.

Ciaossu!

Scorpia 

P.S. I got that from a comic! The ciaossu thing! Isn’t it cute?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you all think? I'm doing this in part for a class where we're looking at how people talk about race theory, queer theory, feminist theory, and capitalism. If I manage to hit topic in that, let me know! If I failed, I really need you to let me know.
> 
> Other than that, I hope it was fun to read! Scorpia's just adorable and I love writing her


	2. Catra

_ Year 2977 _

“Rara, where you going?” Catra asks, following her imaginary friend through the abandoned buildings and over the rusting pipes. Rara floats upward to the top of a stack of boxes. She can feel her eyes adjusting to the sliver of light shining through the shattered window of the next room. 

“ _ Come on, Catra! We need to climb the castle, look! Someone’s attacking!” _ Rara hides on top of the box, waiting. Catra bounds upward, nearly losing balance before her tail stretches out to steady. 

“Oh no! There’s mouse warriors!” Catra falls back to the last line of defence, a metal bar reaching out before her castle of boxes. She falls silent, waiting for the warriors to get closer before jumping out to attack. They screech and catter before running away, but she picks up the one under her hands. Sharp teeth grab at its pelt as she returns to the castle.

It’s time to eat.

_ “Wait! You can’t eat the warrior! They need a valiant burial, just like all warriors get!” _

“But I’m hungry!” Rara floats back down to stare at the mouse warrior, tilting her head and flicking her tail.

_ “I guess it’s fine if it isn’t a warrior? I remove your warrior status! Your friends have abandoned you in our grasp and removed your title! Now you are just a mouse, and able to be eaten!” _ Rara waves her paws, magically removing the warrior’s uniform and sigil, leaving them as a mere mouse.  _ “There!” _

Catra grins and starts to eat.

She falls asleep at the top of the castle with Rara curled up on top of her.

With dreams full of sunshine flowers and sword fighting mice, Catra squirms and kicks in her sleep, giggling as each flower bursts into glowing bees and lightning of yellow and blue.

The flowers that turned to hands were less fun, jolting her out of the dream.

A group of people had reached her castle, grasping hands just nearly pulling at her clothes.

“AAAH!” She screeches, jumping back and sending the castle tumbling down. She lands on all fours at the edge of a pipe tail lashing and ears pricked. Everything about this set her on edge and she didn’t try to stop the hiss building at the back of her throat.

“Fuck! This rapid-” one of the intruders shouts, still reaching. She swipes a claw, scratching at their hand.

Another one came with the net, just like those people from before. She escaped then, she’ll escape now. 

_ “You got this, Catra!” _ Rara shouts, dodging around the intruders. They don’t even notice. 

Catra fumbles her step, the slick piping just wet enough that her pads lose their grip. She falls into the grasp of an intruder, kicking her small legs with everything she has until they spray something and her eyes get heavy.

Catra wakes up in the unknown, alone. Rara hasn’t blinked into existence and the sound is the padding footsteps walking past a door. It’s dark, though, with red lights shining onto the grey walls. She looks around, gripping her little fingers around the bars of her cage. 

“Hello? Hellooooo?” She rattles it, making as much noise as possible. Nothing gives way and no one comes into the room. 

She’s alone.

… 

_ Year 2978 _

“Rara?” Catra calls out, her friend winking into view as she walks down the grey hallway.

_ “Yeah? _ ”

“How come no one else gets bugged by these jerks.”

_ “Hmmm… I dunno. They’re spoiled?” _

“Hmm, okay.” Catra tries to rub the smelly milk off her skin and fur, but it doesn’t work. Her nose burns. 

_ “Also this milk. It’s very spoiled. You can’t wash it off?” _

“They don’t like runts during shower time.”

_ “No no no, you aren’t allowed to lick it off, that’ll taste gross.” _

“But if I go shower they’ll get mad at me and they all think that because  _ cats _ can lick clean that  _ I _ can which is dumb and they’re stupid and mean. Rara, I wanna go home.”

_ “Alright, then let’s go! Our castle awaits, I’m sure it’s been taken over by now, we need to fight to get it back!” _

“Yeah!” Catra bounds forward on all fours, leaving the smell behind her in clouds. She led the way to… somewhere. It wasn’t an exit, just another big set of doors she’s never been able to get through.

Rara floats over to an access pad, staring at it.

_ “What do you think this does?” _ She tries poking at the buttons but her intangible hands just go through it.  _ “Catraaaaa open iiiiiit! _ ” Catra stands at her full height but the pad is too far up the wall, her fingers barely brush the bottom edge.

_ “Jump! Jump jump jump! You’ll be able to see it then!” _ She does jump but it’s still too far. Rara pouts. The hallways are clear of anything to stand on, only a couple pipes jutting out of the ceiling before going back in. 

“Aaaaarh,” Catra grunts, still trying to jump high enough. She tries latching onto the wall with her claws but the metal is too solid. “Mmmmmmm,” Catra’s feet shuffle, rubbing at each other as her tail flicks. Too many feelings keep welling up and it feels like her face is about to burst. One quivering lip later and sound busts out in a wail.

“Hello? Are you okay?” A small voice sounds right next to her, and Catra sniffles her cries to a softer volume. She nods her head yes. Everything’s fine, she’s just not allowed to leave and doesn’t like it here and can’t go home and people are mean and Rara can’t help and she can’t  _ leave _ . 

The person wipes at Catra’s tears, pushing their hands past hers and soaking them up with a sleeve. “Are you sure?” When Catra opens her eyes there’s another kid in front of her. Light skin, blue eyes and yellow hair pulled back in the way the Horde keeps trying to pull back Catra’s hair before she rips out the ties.

“What’s wrong?”

“I wanna go hoooooome,” Catra wails again, starting a new flood of tears. 

“Oh! Okay!” The other kid grabs at Catra’s hand and pulls her forward, running through the halls. Catra thought they weren’t allowed to run, but no one shouts or throws things at them the entire way. They enter a small room with a few beds. The kid drags them to one of the best, one with a couple toys on it, and sits Catra down.

“There! We’re home!” She grins and reaches out a hand, “I’m Adora, nice to meet you!”

… 

_ Year 2979 _

Catra stretches, waking up her limbs with a big yawn and a near tumble off Adora’s bed. Her spot at the foot is still warm from her curled form, and Adora barely stirs from under the covers. Catra valiantly withholds her urge to pinch Adora’s nose and wake her up.

_ “Good, _ ” Rara says  _ “We should let her sleep. _ ”

Catra and Rara carefully pick their way off the bed without disturbing Adora. Training yesterday was hard and Shadow Weaver pushed both of them. Sure, Adora didn’t get thrown into the walls or anything, but her bruises were just as visible as Catra’s. 

With another yawn Catra’s tiptoes out of the barracks. She needs to get some food, preferably raw. That always disappears first with body types of Horde soldiers. Some just can’t handle cooked foods and there’s ever enough raw to go around.

The cafeteria is already crowded so she slips into the back, meandering through the kitchens. Rara floats off to the cold storage to look around or anything tasty so Catra heads to the prep area. It’s where Adora always looks.

There’s some plain yogurt and chicken bits that look edible enough, so she picks through all the other gross foods to put those on a plate.

_ “The cold door won’t open,” _ Rara says when she gets back. Catra thought that would happen, it’s never opened any of the times she’s tried before, either.

“Okay, let’s go,” Catra sneaks out as quietly as she had entered, slipping down the hallway to her and Adora’s meet up point. 

She doesn’t make it very far.

“Hey! Cat!” Someone calls out, startling her. The plate flies from her fingers but she manages to catch it before anything crashes. “What are you doing out here? Eating’s allowed in the cafeteria, that’s it. Go back.”

“But, but Adora and I-”

“There’s rules, cat. You aren’t on the streets anymore.” They grab her shoulder and start pulling her back. Her tail curls around her leg and she flattens her ears, holding in a hiss. Rules are stupid and make no sense anyway.

By the time Adora makes it into the cafeteria, Catra’s already finished eating. A few of the larger soldiers came by to pick at her plate and she was too little to stop them. They couldn’t just eat their own, of course not, not when there’s a run to mooch off of.

“Catra! You got up early!” Adora says, already with her own tray of food. It’s all cooked stuff or vegetables, disgusting. 

“Yeah. Not that it changed anything.”

“What do you mean? Changed what?” 

“I still couldn't get enough food.”

“Do you want some of mine?” She pushes forward her tray with all the gross things. 

“Ew, no.” Catra pouts at her empty bowl of yogurt. At least no one else tried to take that.

_ “Our castle was better. At least we had the mouse warriors,” _ Rara whispered at her. She pokes at the chicken bones, which thankfully were left. Catra slips them into her pocket when Adora isn’t looking. People stare when she eats them.

“People suck.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like with last chapter, let me know what you think! Did you notice anything with critical race theory? How about capitalism or adolecence? Did you like the fic and did it fit the narrative of cannon well?


End file.
